


Damn This Place

by ForDavey



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Comfort, I'm Sorry, Jack and Crutchie are good boyfriends, Les gets taken to the refuge, M/M, Race is fuckin speedy, kinda sad, specs is a mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 06:56:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11892426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForDavey/pseuds/ForDavey
Summary: Les gets taken to the refuge and Jack makes a plan to get him back.





	1. Damn This Place

**Author's Note:**

> Here's an angsty fic! I'm @fordaveyjacobs on Tumblr if you wanna send prompts or chat!

Jack shot up from his bunk after feeling something prod at his ribs, disoriented at being awake before it was even the slightest bit light outside. He started at the night sky out his window for a moment, wondering what time it was. 

"Jack, get up." A gentle voice from below him urged.

The voice was immeaditally identified as Crutchie. The slight sense of urgency in his words was what made Jack drag himself out of bed. 

"What?" Jack asked, attempting to fix his disheveled hair. He froze when Crutchie fixed him with a stare that spoke louder than anything words could say. 

-

Something was wrong. 

-

Crutchie silently walked out of the room, leaving Jack to follow him. As he passed by all of the other rooms, Jack noticed many of the beds were empty. 

-

Crutchie stepped aside once he and Jack had reached the larger room. Another unusual thing, Jack noticed, was the fact that all the lights in the room were on. 

He allowed himself to study the room. He saw Specs in one corner, with Mush and Romeo leaning on him. They all looked like they would fall asleep at any moment. Crutchie had sat down on the floor, whispering what sounded like sweet nothings to someone who was seated at the small table next to him. 

Jack followed Crutchie's gaze and that's when he saw.

Davey Jacobs, looking straight at him. His eyes filled with tears he was trying to hold back, and his hands shaking from where they sat in his lap. He was dressed in nightclothes that hung off his skinny frame and made him appear smaller. 

The sight hurt him so much he almost regretted looking up.

-

Something was wrong. 

-

"Davey?" He whispered, unable to mask the concern in his voice. 

Said boy responded with a clench of his fist and a shaky sigh. Jack stepped closer and took a seat at the table next to him. 

"Les, he's-" A poorly hidden sob escaped him when he tried to talk. Without hesitation, Jack tried to pull Davey into a hug. When he was pushed away, Jack felt his heart throb. Whatever was going on, Davey clearly wasn't in a good state of mind. 

"Dave, you want me to tell 'im?" Crutchie questioned, his voice softer than Jack had ever remembered hearing it. 

Davey replied with a nod of his head and a few quiet inhales. 

Crutchie's eyes met Jack's, and he opened his mouth to speak. 

"Les was taken to the refuge." The quiet murmurs in the room ceased to exist for a moment when Davey released a loud intake of breath followed by quieter sobs. 

Jack put a hand on his back and rubbed it, refusing to let his own distress get to him. Davey let him, now leaning into Jack's touch. 

"Listen Dave, we'll get 'im. Whateva' it takes." Jack promised, his own voice shaky. 

Specs stood up, causing all heads to turn to him. "I'se snuck in and outta' there before, I'se can do it again!" He said. 

Race, who was curled up with his head on his knees, chewing on his unlit cigar, made a hum of agreement. "I'll help too." 

Jack took a moment to admire the bravery his boys were showing, he felt proud of them but he knew it was the wrong time to express it. 

"Dave, we's gonna get Les. Tell us what happened." Crutchie assured and Jack wondered how he was so calm after hearing news like that. Crutchie had barely been able to say the word 'refuge' for weeks after he had been let out. 

-

Of course, Jack thought. The refuge was supposed to have been shut down, and it was. At least as far as the government knew.

Snyder still ran it, but he was much more careful about being caught this time. 

-

Davey turned to look at Jack, as if asking for permission. Jack nodded. "Tell 'em." 

"I took him home after selling, and we had dinner and then he told me that," He paused to take a deep breath. "He was going to go to a friend's house for the night. We let him walk there since it was only a block away and he knows how to stay safe. A few minutes later, Mama went to go check outside after hearing a scream," Davey rubbed his eyes with his fists. "She saw Snyder carrying him away." 

Jack could see his own emotions reflected on the bleak and pained faces of his boys.

He got to his feet and stood on top of the table they had been sitting at. Now that he had everyone's attention he spoke : 

"Boys! We's been to the refuge before, and we's gotten out before! Tomorrow, I'll take Specs, Race, an' Crutchie and we's gonna get Les!" Jack's words were met with loud cheers as everyone headed back to bed, but Crutchie, Specs, and Race stayed put. 

"I want to come." Davey said once it was quiet again.

"Dave that's not safe, we ca-" Crutchie started, at least everyone who was going to help had been in the refuge before and knew their way around. 

"He's my brother, I want to come." He repeated, his voice stern enough that everyone knew arguing over it would be useless. 

"He's coming." Jack announced before anyone spoke up. Davey nodded in confirmation. 

 

-

After a while of discussing a plan, yawns outnumbered the words and Jack sent everyone to sleep.

He led Davey to his bunk and threw the blankets over him. Jack knew that it wasn't like the comfort he had at his home but he tried to make it close. Before Jack crawled into the bed next to him, he ran a hand through Davey's hair. 

"It'll be okay. Les is'a strong kid and he'll be fine. Get some sleep, it'll be a long day tomorrow." He whispered. With a small kiss to Davey's forehead, he drifted off to sleep. 

-

Jack shifted, feeling a dull ache in his back. He realized he was on the floor. Looking up at his bed, only a foot above him, he saw Davey's backside facing him at the edge of the bed. 

"Thanks for shoving me off." He muttered, voice laced with sarcasm. 

He put a hand on Davey's shoulder and shook it until he saw him move. 

"Where 'm I?" A muffled voice whined. 

"Dave, you'se in the lodging house." Jack replied. 

Jack knew the events of the previous day had hit him when he saw Davey's shoulders visibly tense up. 

"Les is gonna be fine." Jack said. 

Davey turned around to face him and Jack almost heard his heart break when he saw Davey's sullen expression. 

Jack no longer could see any trace of happiness on his lover. His usual beaming blue eyes seemed to have lost their brightness. He had dark circles and tear stains under them, too. And to match the rest of his face, his lips were turned down in a frown.

"Dave, are y'sure you wanna go?" 

Dave sat up and shrugged. "I want to help. He's my brother. I don't know what I'd do without him." 

Jack sighed. "You ain't nev'a been in there."

Dave didn't answer, waiting for Jack to continue. 

"It's bad. Three or four boys to'a bed, spiders and rats everywhere," He stopped himself before he got to the worse parts. 

Jack couldn't bring himself to talk about the stories behind all of the fist-shaped marks that forever stained his skin. 

And Davey, he couldn't worry him more than he already had. 

"Can you wait outside? We'll call ya' if we need to." Jack offered. 

Davey didn't make any move to reply for a few moments. After a while he sighed and nodded.

"Call me if anything goes wrong." 

-


	2. They Ain't Brung Us No Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone starts the plan to save Les!

No matter how hard he tried, Jack couldn't ignore the quick pouding of his heart and the unstoppable quivering of his hands. He felt like he was going to pass out from pure fear. Even if he did, it wouldn't be the first time. 

"Jack, you okay?" Specs questioned from beside him. They were walking in pairs, each about a minute or two apart so nobody would be suspicious of why they were heading so far away from the lodging house. 

First, Race and Mush had made their way through the network of dark alleyways and now Jack and Specs were about to follow their footsteps. Crutchie and Davey were going to go after them. 

"What if Les don't make it?" Jack fretted. The night when he saw Crutchie in the refuge during the strike came back to him. 

He remembered Crutchie's eyes being wide and agonized and dried blood gathering around a wound on his forehead and under his nose. He remembered how he only wore his thin and ripped undershirt and how it revealed dark bruises on his chest. He remembered how his crutch was nowhere to be seen and how he looked emptier than Jack ever imagined seeing him. He recalled knowing he had a heart because he had felt it break. 

-

What if Les was like that, too? 

He felt himself being pulled into a hug. He didn't argue when Specs held on for longer than socially acceptable. 

"Jack, Les is a bright kid. They wouldn't hurt 'im like they did Crutchie. And we'll help him through whateva' he needs help with." 

With that, Specs let him go and gently punched his shoulder. Jack meekly did the same and they continued walking. 

Not another word was spoken until they were at the door of an abandoned building, or, the refuge. 

-

Some said screams of agony could be heard from inside of you listened closely, but that was incorrect. All that was ever heard around the neighborhood of vacant buildings was silence, and in a way, that was even scarier. 

Jack saw the chain link fence surrounding building shake for a moment. He felt panic rising until he knew it was just Race trying to climb it. 

Oh yeah, he thought, the plan. 

With a deep inhale, Jack tried to latch onto the fence as discretely as he could. Race picked up the quiet sound and saw Jack, giving him a small wave that was returned before they resumed climbing. 

Jack didn't struggle with the task, he did it almost every month when he snuck food and blankets into the place. 

-

Soon enough, he and Race clung onto the bars of the fire escape. Jack looked down at the ground and saw Specs and Mush hidden in a nearby cluster of bushes. They would keep tabs on if anyone exited or entered or exited the refuge. 

He looked into the alleyway that they had come from and saw Davey and Crutchie sitting against the wall. 

Crutchie had an arm around his shoulders and Davey had buried his head in his neck. 

Jack wanted to go help but he told himself that he'd be helping from where he was. He was going in to get Les. 

-

Race grinned at Jack after he had looked through the window. "That's him." 

Jack followed where Race pointed and looked through the bars at a small shape, half concealed by a scraggly blanket.

He grasped the bars of the window and looked closer. 

There he was, Les Jacobs.

 

-

Dark purple colors gathered around his left eye and down to his cheek, where dirt was smudged. Nevertheless, his mouth was curved into a small smile that gave Jack hope. 

"Jack! Are ya here to get me?" Les squeaked, his voice sounded strained. 

"Yes, Dave's here too. Are y'okay?" Jack felt more at ease, he didn't look like he had a significant injury. 

"I, uh, I dunno." Les stammered. "My ankle hurts real bad and I've got a bellyache." 

Jack nodded. "Ya' probably twisted it. And you're hungry. Have they fed you?" He clarified. 

Les shook his head. "Not yet." 

Yep. That was the refuge. They almost never provided anything edible. "We'll get you some food afta' we get ya' out." 

Then, he fixed his attention on Race.

"Distraction." He said. 

-

Race leaped from the fire escape and landed on the top of the fence. He made his way down to the ground so quickly that Jack recalled the other reason for his name. 

Jack watched as Race lifted a fist to knock on the door. 

Now, was when the plan became difficult.

He turned back to Les. 

"How did you get taken here?" 

Les flinched. "Ma let me go to Benny's house and as I was walkin' there he snatched me and said it was too late to be outside." 

After Les explained, Jack rolled his eyes. Synder always prayed on kids who were alone and defenseless, especially at night. 

"Well, we'se gonna get ya' out soon. Be quiet and lie down like we ain't here!" 

Les obeyed Jack's directions and shouldered the blanket over his body. 

\- 

Jack turned tail and made his way down. Once there, he squeezed Davey's shoulder. 

"He's okay." 

-

A relieved smile crossed Davey's face. "Is he hurt?" 

"Twisted ankle." 

Davey sighed, realising a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. 

Crutchie spoke up from beside them, pulling them into an embrace. 

"Me'n Jack are gonna get 'im out. We love you." Crutchie said. He gently pulled Davey in for a kiss and after Jack did the same, they stepped back. 

"Do..good." Davey whispered. 

Jack tossed him a small, reassuring smile. "We'll get 'im." 

He grabbed Crutchie's hand and lead him to the steps of the refuge. 

The door was wide open, after Race had left it unlocked. 

Now, they were greeted with the sight of the empty hallway, lined with spiderwebs and shredded papers. 

The last thing they saw before they closed the door was Davey's smile.

-

That provided them both with a sense of motivation.


End file.
